Safety First

Ask students to work in small groups to brainstorm safety rules everyone needs to follow: at home, at school, in very hot or cold weather, in case of fire, or while playing outside, eating, riding in cars, or interacting with animals. Instruct each group to select one safety rule that the group identifies as very important to their safety.

Provide each group with a selection of Crayola® Washable Markers. Groups will divide a piece of poster board or large construction paper in half. On one half, students are to create a poster image of a real or imaginary creature who has not followed their selected rule or is thinking about breaking it. Encourage each group to demonstrate in their images what is likely to happen when safety rules are not followed.

Challenge the group to write safety reminders in the other half of their posters. Encourage the checking of spelling and appropriate use of grammar and punctuation.

Provide an opportunity for each group to share their safety issue and artwork with classmates, as well as time for audience members to question the content of the presentation.

LA: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade level topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

LA: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

SS: Explore and describe similarities and differences in the ways groups, societies, and cultures address similar human needs and concerns.

SS: Identify roles as learned behavior patterns in groups situations such as student, family member, peer play groups member, or club member.

VA: Use different media, techniques, and processes to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories.